Addressing Stigma and Barriers to Care for HIV+ Community Members

I took this photo during an 8 day HIV/AIDS focused homebased care training in Mekaneselam, Ethiopia. Fifteen caregivers were trained using a Peace Corps VAST grant to provide homebased care to people living with HIV/AIDS in rural Ethiopia. This photo captures an exercise the caregivers in training completed to better understand the stigma and discrimination people living with HIV may encounter. Each group received a collection of pictures representing typical community members in Ethiopia. The caregivers were asked to construct a story about the pictures, imagining their roles and family relationships. The pictures were then flipped over, revealing that some individuals were HIV+. The caregivers then discussed the ramifications of this diagnosis and how stigma or discrimination in their community may affect their lives. By understanding the consequences of discrimination, caregivers can better care and advocate for their patients.